Madisonville local Zoey Blakley came out on top in the Texas Bass Federation Youth Qualifying event on June 16 with her teammate Charlie Bates of Roanoke at Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth.

Blakley and Bates finished just ahead of the second place team of Leyton McCaskey and Doyl Brown with a total of 9.45 pounds. They were carried by a big bass of 6.32 pounds and have earned a chance to compete at the next level.

This is the second straight year Blakley has achieved this honor. The two-time champion of the event represented Texas in Columbia, S.C. in 2017.

Blakley and Bates will compete in the Junior World Championship the week of August 9, 10 and 11 on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ark.

The Texas Bass Federation Junior World Championship is the premier junior fishing tournament in the world and is held in conjunction with the Forrest Wood Cup, professional fishing’s richest event. TBF Junior competitors will participate in three days of action packed events. This will include attendance to the Forrest World Cup event.

Any local sponsors interested in helping out Zoey with the cost of the trip should contact Erica Blakley at erica_blakley@yahoo.com.